Maggie Reneé created Carmen Sings! Project to:
Impact the quality of life of aging population and those struggling with brain disorders, mental health and substance abuse issues; to produce stimulating, high-quality artistic experiences to enhance the developmental experiences of under-served communities having little or no exposure to the arts; to create performance opportunities for talented young artists.
You’ve heard of Carmen! Even if you think you haven’t, you have. And you definitely know the music. It’s in at least one Superbowl commercial each year! Carmen is one of the most frequently performed operas in the world. The songs are catchy, it has a real plot, and it’s always a fan favorite. And what’s more it’s absolutely packed with great melodies – even if you don’t know the opera, you’ll definitely know the tunes.
Why Carmen Sings? Iconic. Brave. Timeless. She symbolizes strength and conviction and fights for what she wants and believes in. Carmen struggles to overcome her tragic circumstances. Similarly the goal of this project is to help people ease their circumstances by improving their quality of life through experiencing the joy of timeless music.
The Carmen Sings! project takes lively classical repertoire to nursing homes, hospitals, retirement life communities, libraries, schools and other institutions. Programs are specifically designed to engage elderly audiences and enhance their quality of life. Carmen Sings! programming ranges from traditional opera repertoire to contemporary multimedia productions that incorporate elements of jazz, classical and world music genres. These presentations combine the talents of established international performers with those of rising young artists.
Carmen Sings! presentations can be adapted for different levels of care. Each presentation is 50 minutes in length and consists of one or more singers, an accompanist/one or more musicians/dancers who perform exciting repertoire and engage the audience in the understanding and interpretation of these selections. The facility must provide a tuned, functional piano. We offer:
• Carmen Sings! for Seniors
• Carmen Sings! Goes to the Library
• Carmen Sings! in the Schools
• Carmen Sings! Concert Programs
To schedule a performance for you event or facility, please contact us and we will respond as soon as possible!
GET INVOLVED
Your support helps make it possible for us to make a real difference in the quality of life for the elderly and other under-served populations! Any contribution, big or small, is truly appreciated in helping us bring timeless, high quality classical music programming directly to the masses.
RESEARCH behind Carmen Sings! Project
According to United Nations (2017) the global population aged 60 years or over numbered 962 million in 2017, more than twice as large as in 1980 when there were 382 million older persons worldwide. The number of older persons is expected to double again by 2050, when it is projected to reach nearly 2.1 billion. In addition, according to the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry (2008), it is estimated that 20% of people age 55 years or older experience some type of mental health concern. The most common conditions include anxiety, severe cognitive impairment, and mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorder). Mental health issues are often implicated as a factor in cases of suicide. The challenges facing our society as we learn to cope with an aging population are many. Perhaps one of the more critical issues centers on the question of quality of life. Of what value is a gain in life expectancy if the added years do not contribute to a sense of well-being and happiness? Music certainly can play a central role in a healthy and active life style for the elderly and music has been found to stimulate parts of the brain, and studies have demonstrated that music enhances the memory of Alzheimer's and dementia patients, including a study conducted at UC Irvine, which showed that scores on memory tests of Alzheimer's patients improved when they listened to classical music.